The Pack by Tom Pow

Author:Tom Pow
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781466874534
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

PART THREE

THE INVISIBLE CITY

11

MARTHA

When Bradley woke there was a silver skin of mist floating above the river. Martha was crouched at the edge of it, cupping water and sluicing it over her face. Between times, she stayed perfectly still, moving her head slightly to the left, then to the right, as she listened to the morning. She turned, saw Bradley’s eyes on her and turned back to the river.

She soaked the red rag she had worn round her arm, wrung it and brought it over to Hunger. She began to stroke his wounds gently to wash the remains of the Hound of Hell’s blood from his chest.

“It’s OK, boy, it’s OK.”

Hunger raised his head to acknowledge her, then let it fall again onto the embankment.

“You like that dog,” Bradley said to her.

“Yeah, reminds me…” She turned away. “He’s a good fighter, that’s all.”

Bradley let that stand, as he had let stand her admission the night before: “We do what we have to do to get by.” Her eyes had flashed at Victor and at him then, as if to say, I am what I always was. Yet now, when Victor woke, clawing at his collar, there was no longer the hard edge of the boy guard Skreech in her voice, as she said, “Here, I’ll get that off for you.”

Victor looked at her, suspicious of the change and not yet ready to trust it.

“Come on,” said Martha. “Why would I hurt you?”

Victor lowered his head and Martha unbuckled the collar. She gave a sympathetic tut at the deep scores round Victor’s neck.

“Wait there.” She took the rag to the water’s edge again and rinsed it of Hunger’s dried blood, squeezed it and brought it back to Victor. Cold as it was, Victor rolled his head at the relief of it.

“Better?” Martha said.

“Mmm,” Victor answered.

They stayed there in the gray light for a while in silence: Bradley, Victor, Hunger and Martha. There seemed nothing more that needed to be said. They were out of one danger and about to enter another. Bradley knew they needed to gather their energies from somewhere—to reform the shared space, warmth and intention of the Pack. Yet how could he lead them when he didn’t know the direction they must take? He felt the question like a fur ball in his throat, but he could not spit it out. Martha saw his proud eyes dart to her and away.

“Well, you can’t stay here,” she said. “Red Dog and the boy soldiers will be after you soon. Black Fist too likes a hunt. You need to cross over into—”

“What do you mean, you? Are you not coming with us?” said Bradley.

“I never said I’d come with you.”

“But you did. Back there, you did.”

“Look, you’re out now. You can take care of yourselves from now on. I need to do the same. I’m going back to—”

“Back to Red Dog? But why?”

“Because it’s better that way. I was very careful, no one will suspect—”

“But they’ll find out. There’s only

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.